


Every Story is A Love Story

by halfwit



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School Reunion, Angst and Fluff, Castiel kind of screws up, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, High School Drama, Infidelity, M/M, Misunderstandings, Past Castiel/Dean Winchester, Past Infidelity, Pining Castiel, Pining Dean Winchester, Protective Benny, Sad Castiel, Sad Dean
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-12
Updated: 2015-06-16
Packaged: 2018-04-04 02:59:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,463
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4123324
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/halfwit/pseuds/halfwit
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It is Dean Winchester's ten-year high school reunion. He is attending because he wants a chance to confront his former boyfriend, Castiel Novak, who cheated on him and abandoned him their freshman year of college. When the two men come face to face, will Dean be able to listen to what Castiel has to say? Will he be willing to open himself up to the chance of love again?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Dean

Dean Winchester stared apprehensively into the mirror. Typically he didn’t spend more than five minutes getting ready for anything; he was going to look how he was going to look and if that wasn’t good enough, people could buzz off. Tonight was different. This was his ten year high school class reunion. It also was the first chance he would have to possibly come face to face with his former best friend and first love.

“This is a terrible idea,” Dean muttered under his breath, still not satisfied with the reflection staring back at him.

“It’s not a terrible idea, brotha,” a thick Cajun accent reassured from the doorway. “I believe it’s called closure.”

Dean turned toward the doorway and try to smile at his friend’s encouragement, but the gesture didn’t quite make it to his eyes.

Sighing in resignation, Dean figured his appearance was as good as it was going to get. He didn’t even know why he was worrying so much. He was the dumped and cheated on person in the previous relationship, yet he felt the flutter of butterflies in the pit of his stomach.

“I swear to God this whole reunion shit is one hysterical fit away from being a chick-flick,” Dean grumbled walking out of the bedroom, his date for the fiasco, Benny Lafitte, close on his heels.

The two men ambled into the living area of the small hotel suite they were sharing for the occasion. Dean made a beeline for the minibar, which he found conveniently was padlocked.

“What the hell, dude?” Dean fumed, turning back to face the slightly shorter man, who understood better than anyone the mess Dean was after his breakup with his first love. Benny was the one who made sure the younger Dean’s destructive behaviors didn’t end up killing the green-eyed man. It was the reason Benny agreed without hesitation to come with the other man to the reunion. Sure, it was possible Dean would need emotional support if he did come face-to-face with Castiel Novak, but a part of Benny really wanted a chance to say some choice words to the man who so carelessly disregarded Dean’s love and affection.

“Figured ya’d want to have as many marbles available to deal with tonight as possible,” Benny responded with a good natured shrug. “Know you don’t have too many to spare.”

“Fuck you, Lafitte,” Dean returned without heat. “You’re just jealous because I’m better looking than you are.”

“Oh sure, cher,” the Cajun returned with a grin, crinkling the corners of his eyes in good humor.

“It’s true,” Dean said, using their familiar banter to ground and distract himself from the fact they were getting ready to leave. “You know if I was interested in the ladies they’d be lining up ‘round the block to throw their panties at me.”

Benny chuckled, glad to see Dean at least calmer than he had been a few moments prior.

“That’s why I keep ya around,” Benny said, clapping the other man heartily on the back. “Once they realize yer not available, their disappointment makes it so much easier for me to get lucky.”

Dean genuinely laughed at that, head thrown back and shoulders shaking in mirth.

“Dude,” he said, wiping a few tears out of the corner of his eyes, “you just totally admitted that you’re okay with getting my sloppy seconds.”

“Hey, there’s nothing sloppy ‘bout it,” Benny countered, good naturedly. “I may not have been the first choice, but I have a chance to prove that I’m the better choice.”

“No arguments there,” Dean said, sobering and Benny could smack both himself and his friend upside the head. Benny should’ve know better. Ever since the Dean and Castiel debacle, Dean’s natural tendencies for self-deprecation tripled. It was one of the reasons Dean hadn’t been in a serious relationship since, because he second guessed everything he did - yet, another thing Benny would like to have out with Castiel.

“You don’t have to do this, Benny,” Dean said, all light gone from his expressive jade green eyes. “I don’t need a guard dog.”

“Of course not,” Benny replied amiably, “but I am hoping for the chance to see embarrassing teenage pictures of you that I can blackmail you with for the rest of our lives.”

The young Winchester chuckled again at that. “Man, you see those every time you come up for dinner at my folks’ house. The only consolation is that Sammy’s teenage pictures are even worse than mine.”

“Aww,” Benny countered, “I think the one of him in the Hawaiian shirt is kinda cute, but it makes me wonder where yours is. Knowing Mary, there’s no way she just had Sam’s done, you would have been subject to that to.”

“There was a terrible accident and that photo was forever lost,” Dean deadpanned, just a little of his usual mischievous glint returning to his eyes. “The world will forever be deprived of the beauty that is me in paisley.”

The two men chuckled over the thought of Dean and Sam dressed identically in loud beachy shirts. Benny glanced at the time and realized they were running a little late, they planned to leave the hotel about fifteen minutes before. Walking over to his friend, Benny straightened the other man’s tie and gave him a cursory appraisal.

“You’ll do,” Benny declared. “Let’s go.”

“You know,” Dean backpedaled frantically, “it’s not too late to forego this whole thing and just go to White Castle or something.”

Benny chuckled. “We’d be the best looking men in the joint, but I don’t think we really flew back to Lawrence just to grab a burger.”

“I don’t know, they don’t have too many up in Sioux Falls. It’d totally give us the whole mid-western experience,” Dean tried.

“And Ellen’d totally kick our asses for eatin’ any other burgers than hers,” Benny countered.

Dean cringed, knowing his friend was totally right and wouldn’t want his second mother to ban him from eating at her diner for the next several months, which is what she did the last time he ate a burger from a restaurant other than hers.

“C’mon Princess,” Benny nudged, forcibly moving Dean to the door. “Let’s get you to the ball before you turn into a pumpkin.”

“Cinderella didn’t turn into a pumpkin, dumbass,” Dean snarked. “It was the carriage.”

“Ha,” Benny whooped triumphantly, “but you admit that yer a princess.”

“What? No. I don’t. What?” Dean sputtered, finally walking out of the door and nervously punching the down elevator button. “That’s a low blow, man, taking advantage of your friend at his time of need.”

“Oh please,” Benny said, “like ya don’t do the same thing to me all the time.”

“But it’s so much fun with you,” Dean retorted with a slight whine making him sound all of five years old.

“And I think the same with ya, sugah,” Benny replied with an affectionate squeeze right as the elevator doors opened.

Dean didn’t look up, he started to walk into the waiting elevator, and wondered why Benny was standing as an immovable object at his side.

“C’mon man, let’s get this show on the road,” Dean said reaching back to tug at the other man’s hand, but finding he still wasn’t budging. “What? Do I have something stuck to my ass?”

“Hello, Dean,” rumbled from a once-familiar voice inside the elevator.

“Holy shit!” Dean shrieked, too surprised to find himself confronted with his former lover not two feet away from him after nine long years apart to worry about his unguarded reaction.

An uncomfortable silence settled among the trio. Castiel and Benny had never met, Benny was Dean’s roommate freshman year of college, and even though Dean and Castiel still were dating for a semester, the two men never had a chance to meet before the relationship imploded.

Dean found himself trying to reconcile the gorgeous man in front of him with the somewhat lanky, gawky teenager Castiel had been. The green-eyed man found himself fiddling nervously with his tie. Time had been good to Cas, he still was slender and an inch or two shorter than Dean, but it was evident even with the ill-fitted suit he was wearing that Castiel had muscles to spare underneath the gray fabric. Dean knew he was considered to be an attractive man, but he found himself cataloguing how he had changed since high school. He thought he had aged well, but confronted with Castiel, his self-doubts came roaring back to the surface. What the hell was he thinking?

So consumed with his own thoughts he hadn’t realized they were still standing in an almost frozen tableau, Benny having moved slightly to take a defensive position between the two former lovers. Castiel also looked as though he was rooted to the spot, finger holding the button to keep the elevator doors from closing.

They were all shaken from their shock when the elevator’s alarms started buzzing because the door had been ajar too long.

“Sorry,” Castiel apologized,”guess we should get moving.”

Benny looked toward Dean for assurance. Dean knew one slight gesture and Benny would back away and they would get the next car. Despite his shock and the fact he wasn’t entirely prepared to see Cas this soon, Dean knew he had to do this. He didn’t want to appear weak.

“Yeah,” Dean agreed, practically shoving Benny through the doors. “Don’t want to be late for bad DJ music and cheap beer.”

Once the other two men entered the elevator, Castiel pushed the button for the ballroom again, and with a slight shudder, the car began its smooth descent. Dean pressed himself into the far corner of the elevator - he might not have wanted to shrink from the challenge of riding in the elevator with Castiel, but he didn’t trust himself, yet, in such proximity. Benny was close by his side and serving as a conspicuous buffer between the two.

“It is good to see you, Dean,” Castiel sallied into the thick tension. “I was wondering if you were going to be here. No one was able to tell me.”

The taller man looked up from his perch in the corner. Castiel had asked about if he was coming?

“Trying to make sure it was safe to come back, Cas?” Dean snarked, bitterness leeching into his tone though he had tried for blandness.

The darker-haired man flinched slightly at the venom in his former best friend’s tone. “I deserve that,” he replied.

“Damn straight,” Benny growled, not so quietly.

“Excuse me,” Castiel replied, blue eyes flashing in annoyance at the stranger in front of him. “I don’t believe you know anything about anything. Who exactly are you?”

Benny leveled such a look of steel and hatred at Castiel that Dean was slightly worried there may be bloodshed before the end of the evening.

“I’m with him,” Benny said succinctly.

With those three words all the anger and bravado seemed to evaporate from Castiel’s stance. The other man slumped slightly in dejection, as though a string that had been keeping him upright had suddenly been cut, leaving him to his own steam.

“I see,” Castiel responded, and Dean could swear that was sadness lacing the other man’s tone, but that didn’t make any sense.

“How’ve you been, Castiel?” Dean inquired, striving for politeness. This is why he wanted to come to this debacle after all.

“Castiel,” the blue-eyed man said softly, to himself, and that was definitely sadness and hurt flickering across his face. What the actual hell? “I’ve been okay, Dean. And you?”

“He’s bloody brilliant,” Benny interrupted wanting to build his friend up.

“Benny…” Dean tried.

“He was the youngest mechanical engineer to ever be promoted to a board level position in his company,” Benny enthused, genuinely proud of his friend’s accomplishments. “He works with government contracts and NASA has been trying to poach him away, but he doesn’t wanna leave to move ta Texas, too far away from home.”

Dean felt heat in his cheeks, knowing that he was blushing at his friend’s effusive praise of him and knowing that Castiel was looking at him intently.

“That’s incredible Dean” the other man said sincerely. “I am so happy that you fulfilled all that you used to dream about.”

“Yeah, it’s been good,” Dean said modestly.

“Good?” Benny said, incredulously. “You are the most brilliant person I know. The shit they give you to find solutions to? I can’t make heads or tails outta any of it, and you take a quick glance and have the whole thing figured out. What about the University of Sioux Falls? They have been begging you for three years to come and teach just one class for them.”

Dean shrugged dismissively, he didn’t like to talk about himself.

“What about you, Castiel? What have you been doing?”

“Well...um,” Castiel began, but at that moment the elevator stopped. They arrived in the ballroom where the reunion was being held.

“Guess this is our stop,” Dean said, waiting for the doors to open.

“Yes, I suppose it is,” Castiel replied, looking at Dean intently.

“It was nice catching up with you,” Dean said, hoping he could keep his nerves in check for a few more minutes.

The doors opened and Dean started to step out when he heard, “Wait!”

He turned back around and saw Castiel reaching out an arm as though to physically hold on to him, even though Benny was in the way.

“Yes,” Dean replied, uncertain of what this was about.

“Dean,” Castiel continued, exiting the elevator himself to stand closer to Dean, or as close as he could with Benny’s human shield routine going on. “I would like to have a few moments to talk to you, in private. I promise I won’t take too much of your time, there just are some things I have waited a very long time to say, and would appreciate it if you would listen to me.”

“He doesn’t go anywhere without me,” Benny said, vaguely threateningly.

“I think he is a grown man who can make his own decisions,” Castiel snapped back, irritated at having the other man constantly in his way.

“Okay then,” Dean said seeing the tension escalating between the two men. “Benny, Castiel is right, I can make my own decisions.”

Cas couldn’t help but smirk somewhat at the other man when Dean said that.

“And, Castiel, I don’t think there really is anything else for us to say to one another. I think we said all that needed to be said nine years ago when you decided to leave me for the oldest college cliche of sleeping with your roommate.”

The dark-haired man’s smirk fell away and Benny stood ever closer to his friend, determined to provide support if needed.

“You tore my heart out and stomped on it a few times for good measure,” Dean continued, voice shaking ever so slightly as he tamped down his emotions. He didn’t want to cause a scene, especially not upon first arriving. “Don’t think Hallmark makes a card for that type of occasion.”

“I just would like five minutes,” Castiel practically begged. “There are so many things I have wanted to say since the day we last spoke, please.”

Dean automatically shook his head. In that moment, he didn’t know why he wanted to put himself through this. There was nothing Castiel could say to him. Dean could vividly remember his excitement at seeing his boyfriend again, only to see the undeniable aftermath of Cas and his roommate having just had sex.

“Nineteen years,” Dean mumbled, his words almost swallowed by the blast of music coming from the ballroom when other classmates went into the festivities, oblivious to the drama unfolding in the hall. “We were best friends for nineteen years, we were partners for three of those. In one fell swoop you took away the love of my life and the person I usually turned to in those situations.”

Dean fought back tears that were pooling in his eyes, he couldn’t bring himself to make eye contact with the other man.

“I can’t do this,” Dean said, trying to stagger away from the other man. He felt his control - usually so iron clad slipping. He didn’t want to make a fool of himself in front of the one person it seemed still had the capacity to rip his heart to ribbons.

Castiel’s arm reached out, lightning quick, to steady Dean and to keep him from running away.

“You might want ta be movin’ that arm, chief,” Benny drawled. He hadn’t had any interactions with Castiel prior to this, but he would be damned if he let this man hurt his Dean again. He and Dean may only be friends, but they had helped each other through some rough times and were as close as siblings. No one was hurting his soft-hearted friend, not while he still was standing.

“Look, I understand you want to puff out your chest and mark your territory, but I have waited a long time to have the opportunity to talk to Dean, and I just want him to hear me out without having an enraged gorilla in my face,” Castiel spat.

Dean had enough. He wasn’t about to be the center of a pissing contest - especially a pissing contest for which there really was no prize, certainly neither of them were interested in him, especially not the way he wanted someone to be.

“Benny, that’s enough,” Dean said, voice soft yet firm, and he placed a restraining hand on the burlier man’s chest. His touch was light and wouldn’t really have stopped Benny if he wanted to pursue Castiel, but it was enough to bring Benny back to himself. He didn’t want to cause a scene. Tonight was about Dean.

“Why don’t you get us signed in and find the best location for drinks?” Dean asked his friend, shooting him what he hoped was a charming smile. “I’ll be along in a minute.”

The older man didn’t like this. He didn’t like the idea of leaving Dean alone with the brunet. The southerner had been there to pick up the pieces the last time, but he knew too many cracks remained unrepaired. He didn’t want this man to shatter what pieces remained because Benny might not be able to find enough shards to make Dean whole again.

Sighing, Benny looked at his friend. He saw the nervous glint making Dean’s eyes look more golden than green in the moment. Impulsively, he leaned over and gave the taller man a kiss on the cheek.

“I’ll be right o’er there,” he rasped into his friend’s ear. “Ya give me the signal, I’ll kick his sorry ass.”

Dean tilted his head back and smiled - a genuine smile that lit up his eyes. “I’m not a princess, dude. I don’t need you to slay my dragons for me.”

The other man smiled wanly in return and glared daggers at Castiel. Benny knew a part of Dean wanted a chance to rekindle at least a friendship with the former love of his life, but Benny was worried. Damn, he needed a drink.

“He’s very protective of you,” Castiel observed that lingering sadness Dean had noticed before making his blue eyes seem darker, cloudier than he remembered.

“Yeah, well, he’s been with me through a lot,” Dean admitted watching his friend walk away and stalling before allowing Castiel to say his peace. “He kept me from doing some stupid things about nine years ago.”

“I’m so, so sorry, Dean,” Castiel blurted out without preamble.

“Castiel, you don’t get to…” Dean started before the darker haired man placed a finger to his lips to stop him from talking. Castiel’s hand was shaking visably.

“No, I need to say this. I need you to hear me and to believe me,” Castiel said, tears sparkling in his dark lashes. “I don’t care if you walk away from this, from me, and never see or hear from me again. I just need five minutes for you to hear me, please.”

In all the years they had been friends, Dean had never heard this earnest, pleading tone from the other man. Although shy, Castiel had always been confident; to see him as other than that was shaking Dean’s perceptions to their very foundation.

“Not here,” Dean said, watching their former classmates file into the open space - their eyes all greedy on the scene unfolding. Of course the story of how Castiel Novak shattered Dean Winchester’s heart was legend, the two had been so disgustingly sweet in high school, many were happy to hear when their fairy tale was ripped to pieces. Some individuals came tonight just for the chance to see the confrontation between Winchester and Novak. Dean didn’t want to be fodder for any more gossip.

Grasping Castiel’s hand in his as easily as he used to all those years ago, the taller man maneuvered them away from prying eyes, finding a quiet alcove where no one seemed interested in being, except for them.

“Talk,” Dean practically spat, his heart was racing and he was doing everything in his power to appear disinterested. Truth be told, Castiel was as heartbreakingly handsome as he had been nine years ago. He even smelled the same, spicy with just a hint of musk and sweet to round it out. Dean inhaled quickly, the scent was comforting and agonizing at the same time.

“I’m so sorry, Dean,” Castiel began again.

“Yes, we’ve already established that, Cas,” Dean retorted, not even thinking about shortening the other man’s name to the once familiar nickname.

Dean may not have noticed the slip, but Castiel certainly did, and it gave him the confidence to continue.

“I was an utter fool,” the blue-eyed man continued, willing himself to hold eye contact with his former lover. “I was confused. I was scared. Things were so good between us, and it seemed like everything was moving too fast.”

“What? You were afraid we might actually end up together and get married. Perish the thought,” Dean interrupted, hostility bleeding into his tone. He may have agreed to let Castiel speak, but he wasn’t going to remain passive in this. If Castiel wanted a chance to say his part to Dean, the other man was going to make it clear just how deep the hurt had cut him.”

“No, no, no, I’m not saying this right,” Castiel growled, running his hands through his hair, messing up the neatly tamed locks, making him look much more like the teenager he had been when Dean last saw him. “I wanted to be with you, I was so happy with the idea of forever, you have no idea.”

“Have a funny way of showing it,” Dean mumbled under his breath, but louder than he realized when he noticed Castiel’s flinch at the words.

“I fell in with an....interesting crowd,” the other man continued, picking his words with more care. “Balthazar was my roommate, and I always thought he was jealous of our relationship and how lucky we were to have each other. After you and I would talk, he would roll his eyes and make gagging noises, and tell me he didn't want to hear any more about how wonderful you were. I decided I might be a little overbearing in my conversations, so I stopped talking about you, making sure that I talked to you when he wasn't in the room. That tactic didn't work as well. Then, when we got closer to mid-terms and we were talking as much, the distance that I felt between us was something that Balthazar was able to pick up on keenly, and I think it was fun for him to play on my insecurities.

“He started telling me all these statistics on how high school relationships fizzled in their first year of college, especially with distance between the couple. Then he would move on to say that everyone needed a little time for experimentation. He convinced me that you were probably enjoying your freedom and having your own experiments, so why shouldn’t I have having fun, too?”

Dean reeled back in horror. The young Winchester was many things, but he always was loyal and steadfast to his friends and loved ones. To think that Castiel would ever think he would have strayed while they were together was insulting.

“I never….” Dean began.

“I know that now,” Castiel conceded with a sad smile. “I think I always knew it. But, I was enjoying the freedom of college in some ways, but in others, I just wanted to be home with you.

"I hadn’t slept with anyone else at that point, but there were people who were interested. Balthazar himself often said he would be interested in us having a chance. "So, one night, I tried to call you, but I got in touch with your roommate instead. It sounded loud in your room, like a party was going on, and I think my mind just leaped to immediate worst conclusions. I became convinced you were in the room, partying, and your roommate was covering for you. I was beside myself. I almost was ready to get in my car and drive to your school to confront you and break it off. However, before I could walk out of the door, Balthazar was there. He gave me a shoulder to cry on and was more soothing of a presence than he usually was. I gave in and kissed him.

"You and I had been apart longer than we ever had. I felt a physical ache at not being able to give you a hug or a kiss and it was getting to the point where phone calls, texts, and emails weren't enough. I didn't realize until that moment how much I missed being touched and held by another person, so I kept kissing him back. After that night, it was like a flood gate had opened. "Part of me knew that I should talk to you and confront you with my fears, but the other part of me was being childish. So after a week of just fooling around, Balth and I hooked up. In the back of my head, I knew I was cheating on you, but I convinced myself that you were off doing the same thing, so it took some of the guilt out of what I was doing. 

"When you showed up the next morning and caught us together, I knew I had messed up. The devastation on your face made it plain to me that you had not been unfaithful to me, and that I was the one who broke your trust. I was so angry with myself, and I wanted to find a way to make it up to you, but you were out of the door before I could even get up to go after you.

"After that, you didn't give me a chance to apologize, not that you should have. So, yes, I was wrong. I let too many people convince me of things that I knew in my heart were untrue. But, please believe me, I can't take back that night, although I wish that I could. I loved you...I still love you, and I am so sorry that I caused you pain in this, when I should have just been happy with what we had with each other."

Castiel re-arranged himself on the floor, trying to get more comfortable. The two men were sitting cross-legged across from one another, it was a tight fit, but it was one of the few places they could talk uninterrupted.

"The joke was on me, though," Castiel continued darkly. "Turns out Balth was just bored and he was running a bet with his other buddies. He bet them he could make me doubt my 'perfect' boyfriend so much that I would be begging him for sex by Thanksgiving. He won the bet with a week to spare."

“Did he hurt you?” Dean couldn’t help but ask. As angry as he was, Castiel had been his world for nineteen years. Despite the pain and anger, Dean was reluctant to know his friend had been abused in any way.“Not physically,” Castiel said dourly, grimacing slightly. “But, to know I was just someone for him to play with hurt me. Balth and his gang were more than happy to spread the news to their friends, so a lot of people knew what happened between us. It was embarrassing, to say the least.”

The other man hung his head, shoulders slumped in defeat. Dean hadn’t hit him, had heard him out, and appeared to be understanding, compassionate even. It was the best that Castiel could hope for, and yet he heard the lingering hurt and gently reproach in his former boyfriend’s tone and he couldn’t raise his gaze to meet the hurt reflected in Dean’s dark green eyes.

“Was I so faithless, so fickle with you, for you to believe lies from someone you just met?” Dean asked; his tone didn’t hold heat, just a desire for understanding - for closure.

“Never,” Castiel replied without hesitation, gripping Dean’s hand even harder - it was his lifeline at this point. “I was just so confused. I was being told that I should want to experiment and enjoy not being tied down, yet at the same time, all I wanted was to be with you, cuddled on the couch watching cheesy sci-fi flicks and growing old together. Guess I kinda ruined that.”

“Just a little,” Dean admitted, though his soft smile took some of the sting out of his words.

“If you could have just held out a little longer this would have all been behind us." Dean continued, his words sad, but not as harsh as they might have been before. "Did you ever wonder why I showed up at your dorm room that morning, Cas?" he asked the other man.

"So many things happened so quickly, I remember being surprised you were there, but no, I don't think I ever really considered why you showed up that day," Castiel replied, eyes narrowing in confusion. "Why were you there that morning, Dean?'

"I just got the word the day before that my paperwork went through," Dean admitted, looking down, not daring to meet the other's gaze. "I was going to transfer to be with you. I hated us being apart, and I hated living in my dorm. My roommate loved to throw these epic parties, and they were so loud that I could never get any work done. Most of my first semester I spent in Charlie's dorm, or in the library just to get some work done."

Castiel closed his eyes and let his head thump gently against the wall behind him. Dean's roommate had been having a party...that was the noise he heard the day he called. If he would have just talked to Dean about his fears and asked what was going on, all of this heartache could have been avoided.

"Are you happy now, Cas?" Dean asked with genuine curiosity, having heard the other's man's tale, he didn't necessarily forgive, but he better understood; they both always had been too emotionally constipated to talk about the important things. "Have you found someone to be with?”

Blue eyes, tear filled and reminiscent of the sea, raised to lock with Dean’s own. “Not even a little.”

Dean was taken aback. In all the time they had been apart, why had Castiel not found anyone to be with? Of course Dean himself was single, not willing to put his heart on the line again, especially since he knew he already and found and lost the only true love of his life.

He had contented himself with other endeavors, babysitting his nieces and nephew, volunteering at the local animal shelter, signing up to mentor with the Big Brothers/Big Sisters program. But, never for an instant had he thought Castiel would be alone, too. He always had assumed since Castiel had been with someone else, he would easily be able to move on and find someone to replace Dean, even if it wasn't his roommate/lover. Dean closed his eyes against his own stupidity. He had been so selfish and caught up in his own pain that he never really stopped to think and ask why Castiel did what he did. Truth be told, he wouldn't have be willing to listen; he almost hadn't been able to listen tonight.

“No one made my heart flutter,” Castiel admitted, voice raspy and somewhat deeper with the effort to hold back his tears. “I had a true love, and I set fire to it. I knew I would never find that again, so I never tried.”

The young Winchester didn’t know how to process these revelations. Castiel was telling him everything he’d always dreamed about since their break up. Dean knew he should be cautious, and that he shouldn’t be willing to allow his former boyfriend a spot in his life again, but, then again, when it came to Cas Novak, Dean always was a fool in love. But, before he could say anything further, Castiel pulled away, as though shaking himself from a reverie.

“But, you’ve done well for yourself,” the other man said, plastering a fake smile onto his face. “It looks like you’ve found someone who loves you and takes very good care of you. I’m glad for it.”

Dean’s head was spinning. Nothing Cas was saying was making sense.

“Dude, what the hell are you talking about?” Dean finally gave up and just had to ask bluntly. “I haven’t dated anyone since I caught you with that dick.”

It was Castiel’s turn to be confused, brow furrowing in concentration, as though he had lost the thread of the conversation suddenly.

“But, aren’t you with Benny? The way he looks at you, how protective he is of you, I just assumed the two of you were together,” Castiel said, eyes scrunched. “He kissed you.” The last part was said with no little amount of jealousy.

The confusion on Castiel’s face was adorable and Dean couldn’t help the mirthful chuckle that escaped his lips. Of all the scenarios he envisioned when he agreed to attend his high school reunion, this was so far fetched, he never even contemplated it.

“Naw, man,” Dean said gently as hope blossomed in his chest when Castiel reached out to easily twine their fingers together - fingers that fell into a familiar tangle as though no time had passed. “Benny’s my best friend. He was my roommate freshman year when all our shit went down. He saved my life.”

Dean’s honest, broken, admission cut Castiel to the quick. To know that he hurt Dean so badly, it was something he had never, and could never forgive himself for. That Dean was sitting with him, just like they used to as teens, awed him. The Dean he knew always had a generous and loving spirit, always willing to think the best of someone: To see this was the same, even with the betrayal and hurt leveled on him by someone he loved and who was supposed to love him back, absolutely floored Castiel.

Silence stretched between the two of them. More words were needed, there were other obstacles to overcome, but for a moment the quiet was unstrained - just two men who once loved one another, soaking in new revelations, and re-examining previously held beliefs.

“So, um, Cas,” Dean said, somewhat shyly, not knowing if he should put himself out there again, afraid to be hurt, but feeling as though they had been granted a precious second chance. “I don’t know ‘bout you, but I’m not feeling much like seeing all these people.”

“I agree,” the other man said without hesitation. “The only reason I decided to come was on the off-chance I might get a chance to talk to you.” Castiel looked at his love in amazement, as though Dean held the keys to the universe, and in a way he did - he held the keys to whatever future happiness Castiel might attain, whether he knew it or not.

“You were the reason, I came, too,” Dean admitted, somewhat reluctantly, nervously rubbing his free hand over the back of his neck. The gesture was so familiar - so Dean - that Castiel couldn’t stop himself from surging forward and claiming the other man’s plush lips in a long desired kiss.

Surprised, Dean let out a faint gasp, before his brain and body caught up to the program and started kissing Castiel back just as frantically. Their hands sought whatever skin they could find, and were twining into soft locks - hands and lips relearning what they never thought they would have again.

“What the fuck do you think yer doin’?” a new voice roared, startling the two men apart. Before either could react, thick hands were reaching down and pulling Castiel up by the collar before he was roughly slammed into the nearest wall. “Ya think ya can just say a couple pretty words and expect him ta ferget everything ya selfish bastard? Ya think ya can take advantage of him like tha?”

“Benny!” Dean yelled, trying to break through his friend’s haze of rage. “Stop! Cas didn’t take advantage of me, I promise. We’ve talked. We have a long way to go, and probably were skipping over about twenty steps we need to take in the meantime, but we’re cool. I’m fine.”

The southerner’s eyes flashed blue sparks at his best friend, doubting everything he was hearing and seeing.

“Ya actually believe what this asshole is tellin’ ya?” Benny roared, not releasing Castiel from his death grip while he hollered at the young Winchester. “I saw what ya were like after he broke yer heart, cher. I was the one who took you to the hospital when ya tried to drink yerself to death - the one who had ta walk in and find ya lying on the ground blood pouring out of yer arms like a horror movie gone wrong. Ya think I’ve forgotten ‘bout that? Do ya? Ya ever think that I still have bloody nightmares of what woulda happened if I hadn’t come back that night?”

Dean cringed at the hurt and fear radiating off his friend, and he saw Castiel blanch at Benny’s blunt words at just how much the Novak had hurt his boyfriend. There was time for that later, now he had to fix this situation.

“I know who was there for me, Benny,” Dean soothed, almost like coaxing a frightened animal. “You are my best friend and I never would have made it where I am today without you. But, you have to let me try this, Ben. Let me see if he is as sorry as he says he is, because you and I both know that there ain’t no one else out there I’m willing to try with.”

The older man’s rage was seething just below the surface, but Castiel could feel his grip loosening, just slightly. Relaxing that the other man wasn’t going to permanently rearrange his face - at least for the moment - Castiel tried to process all that had just happened. Dean had hurt himself because of Castiel’s stupidity? The dark-haired man knew he had a lot of atone for with his former boyfriend, but he didn’t realize until that moment that he might never have had the chance. One of these days, when he wasn’t playing a stand-in to a punching bag, Castiel was going to have to properly thank Benny for looking after Dean, for saving the love of his life.

“I don’t like this, brotha,” Benny repeated, but he didn’t sound as angry, he sounded more resigned. “But, if ya say ya wanna try, I’m not gonna stop ya. I’ve wanted ya to be happy fer so long, I would hate myself if I stood in yer way.”

“Thanks, Benny,” Dean said with a blindingly brilliant grin, but was stopped from saying more from the huskier man.

“That’s not to say that I agree with yer decision,” Benny stated firmly, “but I’ll be damned if I’m the one that stands in yer way. However, I won’t be runnin’ interference when Sam and Bobby find out - I think both a them are willing ta take yer feller out where no one can find ‘em. Might even be willin’ ta look the other way, ‘specially if he does anythin’ to hurt ya again.”

The threat was clear to Castiel. He’d hurt Dean once, he was blessed to have Dean willing to take another chance, winning back the rest of the family would not be smooth sailing. It was going to take time. Dean at twenty-eight was probably a lot different than Dean at eighteen, just as Castiel himself had changed. He and Dean needed to reconnect and learn more about one another now, take it slow to see if there was even a chance for them to be together again. He was willing to go slow. He’d waited nine years to have this chance, there was no where he’d rather be. Well...now that he thinks about it.

Benny’s demonstration of testosterone and violence had drawn a crowd: Dean and Castiel’s former classmates were clamoring to see what was going to happen. Whatever was going to happen was not going to be done in front of prying eyes. Their relationship ended with an audience, it didn’t need to be forged again in front of one.

“What do you say we get out of here and talk, catch up with things?” Castiel offered, holding out his hand in invitation.

The other man reached out without hesitation and smiled, he looked like an angel in that moment, blissfully happy. “Sounds great. I’d kill for a burger about now.”

_ **Epilogue: Five Years Later** _

When the Lawrence High School class gathered five years later to celebrate their fifteenth high school reunion, speculation was rampant as to whether Dean Winchester and Castiel Novak would attend. Dean was working in Washington, DC, with rumors that he would be appointed to the President’s cabinet as a high level advisor. It wasn’t the job offer that had everyone curious, it was the relationship between the two high school sweethearts...soul mates who found each other and were ripped apart, only to get a second chance. Question was did they make it? Were they able to beat the odds and have a true happily ever after.

An hour later, when the pair strolled into the dining hall, their plane having landed late, they dispelled all rumors as to their relationship status. Holding hands lovingly and sporting matching silver bands on their left, ring fingers, they left no doubt that they had indeed found one another and were together forever. After all, sometimes, just sometimes, fairy tales do come true. And, if that fairy tale came with more than its share of bumps and bruises - some literally, because it did take Benny and Sam a long time to forgive and move on, though they never forgot - that just made the journey that more rewarding in…

                                                                                                                                                                                         **The End.**

 

 


	2. Castiel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is our story from Castiel's point of view - what was he thinking before and during his run in with Dean in the elevator.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It was very correctly pointed out to me that Castiel's point of view was a little lacking in the first chapter. I had a reason for that. When I originally wrote this, I contemplated switching back and forth between Dean and Castiel's view points; however, nothing seemed to flow right and I typically don't like to change point of view within a chapter. The more I thought about it, the more I thought maybe we did need to know a little more about Cas' motivation during this time. So, viola, we have the events from his point of view.

“Fuck!”

For the sixth time, Castiel ripped the lavender fabric from around his neck, wrinkling the delicate silk in his haste and anger. Fate itself was laughing at him tonight.

In his daily life as an accountant, the dark-haired man wore a suit and tie every day. Before this evening, he would have sworn the patterns of silk were imprinted into the muscle memory of his normally dexterous fingers. Ever since his mother first showed him how to knot the fabric properly, he had taken to the task like a duck to water. Tonight, when it really mattered for him to look his best, his fingers were thick and clumsy and hit into each other, preventing him from getting the proper grasp on the fabric.

Sighing, the twenty-eight year old, lightly banged his head in frustration against the slightly chipped hotel mirror. He was more nervous than he thought. Tonight hopefully was the night that he would be able to see Dean Winchester again. He hoped that Charlie was right and Dean truly was attending the Lawrence High ten-year reunion. The petite red-head was loyal to Dean and had (rightly) taken in his side when Dean and Castiel broke up. Yet, the young Novak’s persistence paid off and she begrudgingly told that Dean was planning to attend the event. She didn’t mention if he was bringing a guest or not, but he really didn’t matter. Even if Dean was happily with someone, Castiel just wanted five minutes to tell Dean how sorry he was.

“Stupid,” Castiel muttered to himself as he faced his scowling reflection in the mirror again. “Stupid, narcissistic jerk.” He continued to berate himself, not for the first time, as he again went through the motions of looping the delicate material over and under to form a perfect knot.

He shouldn’t have come. He had no business being here, and yet he felt if he didn’t grasp this last opportunity, he would regret it for the rest of his life. He had no illusions. He had been in the wrong, he was the one who listened to all the gossip and decided that Dean was probably living up his time away in college, so why wasn’t Castiel? It was Castiel who let his own fears and doubts get the better of him, and who thought it was a good idea to hook up with his roommate, who just thought of Castiel as an adorable little toy.

In the ensuing nine years since that day, he never forgot how broken Dean’s voice sounded when he said it was over that morning.

_“Cas?” Dean asked, voice cracking with emotion, and sounding so much younger and more vulnerable than he usually did. “Wh-wh-at is going on?”_

_Cold fear streaked through Castiel’s heart. He never thought he could keep it a secret from Dean that he had cheated on him; but, he didn't want Dean to know like this, not having to see the aftermath._

_"Hello Darling," Balthazar crooned. "You are a pretty one, I can see why Cassie likes you. If you'd like you can stick around and have a go with both of us."_

_"Shut up, Balth," Castiel snarled at the other man._

_"I don't understand," Dean said, tears starting to track down his face._

_"Dean, please let me ex-" Castiel began._

_"Cassie you coming back to bed any time soon?" the other man called, loving being able to rile up his roommate and (ex?) boyfriend._

_"You slept with him," Dean whispered, his eyes wide at the realization. "I can't believe it, you slept with him."_

_"Dean-"_

_"Don't Dean me," the other boy returned, anger causing splotches of red to appear on his cheeks. "Is this why you didn't want us to go to the same school? You wanted to be free to have your little fun, but still keep safe, boring Dean on the side? Well, forget it. You can have all the fun you want, but you can do it without me. We're through!"_

_"Dean, wait!"_

He didn’t blame Dean. The other teen had stuck by him through thick and thin and always had been his best friend, and later a wonderful, loving boyfriend. Castiel never should have doubted the other teen’s love and loyalty; but, so far away from home with so many new temptations around him, it was easy to believe the lies and insinuations from others who claimed to know better.

Castiel left his school after that semester: He couldn’t stay there. He didn't want to see Balthazar on campus and be reminded of their one-night stand. He didn't want to go back to his dorm and keep seeing Dean's stricken face and broken voice when he said the were through.

Of course, his family wanted to know why he was transferring from his first choice school. Then, his family wanted to know why Dean wasn’t coming around anymore and what had happened between them. When the teen confessed his infidelity, his family had not taken it well. Eventually, they listened to his tale and offered their support when they could, but Castiel always felt as though they pitied him. He moved away as soon as he could.

Through all of that, the only thing he wanted was Dean. He had known the other man was his soul-mate, the love of his life. He allowed hormones to get the better of him. And, even if Dean didn’t give him another chance, he at least wanted to say he was sorry.

Arching his eyebrow critically, Castiel took in his handiwork with the tie. Still not perfect. The knot did seem to lie as flat as it normally did, but it was better than any of his previous efforts. Glancing at the clock, Castiel could tell he needed to get going. He wanted to get to the ballroom as soon as possible to get the best chance of seeing Dean before the other man could run away.

Grabbing his tan trench coat to complete his outfit, Castiel thrust his arms into the sleeves as he made his way to the elevator. Once inside the car, he tried to calm his breathing. He was glad to see that he was the only person in the lift at the moment; it gave him time to gather his wits and plan what he wanted to say.

Five floors later, the elevator slowed to stop for more passengers. Castiel sighed, hating that his sanctuary was about to be invaded upon. Hopefully, the rest of the ride could continue to be quiet.

Moving himself slightly to the side, to allow for the unknown passengers to enter, the blue-eyed man found himself face to face with the love of his life. As clichéd at it sounded to his own ears, Castiel’s breath caught in his throat. Dean always had been handsome; but, as a teen he was lithe, lanky, and a little gawky, having not quite grown into himself yet. Dean as a fully grown man was gorgeous. Castiel was so arrested by the sight of his former lover that he almost didn’t spare a glance to the stocky, older man standing protectively to Dean’s side…almost.

“C’mon man, let’s get this show on the road,” Dean said, his voice a rich baritone, warm and decadent. Castiel thought he would love to listen to Dean read to him, or just tell him about his day – this was definitely a voice he could get lost in.

Castiel noticed Dean looking back and reaching absently to tug the other man’s hand through the waiting elevator. “What?” Dean asked, looking back at his companion. “Do I have something stuck to my ass?”

The young Novak had to chuckle: Dean always had been a force of nature, often coming across as brash, crass, and cocksure. Castiel knew that usually was just a façade to hide deep rooted insecurities. He was glad to see that Dean retained many of his old qualities. As the moment stretched, Castiel could feel the stranger’s gaze on him, hard and unwavering. The dark-haired man could sense the restrained violence in the man’s stare and body language. Obviously this man was with Dean and he knew at least something about Castiel, probably none of it good.

Unable to take the tension any longer, even though it probably only was a few seconds, Castiel decided to make his presence known. “Hello, Dean.”

“Holy shit!” Dean squeaked and stumbled back into the burly bulk of his boyfriend.

The two men, who had been closer with each other than anyone else, stared at each other, uncertain what to say, how to dispel the tension.

For his part, Castiel was trying to shake himself out of his stupor. What the hell was wrong with him? He had wanted this for so long; had laid awake countless hours chastising himself for his actions and dreamed of the moment he would be able to explain himself to Dean. All his best laid plans and pretty speeches flew out of his mind now that the moment actually arrived. For his part, Dean didn’t look any more at ease in the situation. Castiel caught the taller man rubbing his hand nervously along the back of his neck, a familiar gesture that spoke of his nervousness.

The trio were so caught up in the moment, they didn’t even realize the doors slid shut, but they weren’t moving. Castiel wanted to hit himself upside the head.

_“Smooth, Novak,” he chided himself with an internal groan. “Way to make a good impression and show him you aren’t the big bag of dicks he accused you of being.”_

Clearing his throat, Castiel decided to break the silence. “Sorry,” he apologized, “guess we should get moving.” To the pair in front of him the initial part of his sentence was an apology for not moving them on to the ballroom: In his mind, it was an apology for so much more.

As the elevator began to move again, Castiel sneaked furtive glances at the couple beside him. He couldn’t help but notice how the older man seemed to curl around Dean in a protective stance, which should have looked ridiculous since Dean was slightly taller and definitely looked more than capable of taking care of himself. Instead, the gesture seemed achingly intimate; and, Dean leaned slightly closer to the other man, unconsciously seeking comfort from his presence. Although Castiel tried to steel himself for this eventuality beforehand, it still was a painful realization…he was too late. He had messed up and destroyed the best thing that ever had been granted to him. He had turned down the opportunity for other relationships because everything else seemed like a cheap imitation of what he had with Dean. He found at eighteen what some people seek their entire lives for and often do not find; he had his true love, and he set fire to it and destroyed it.

He felt pressure behind his eyes and a sharp sting indicating he was on the verge of tears. He swallowed hard to try to bring himself under control. This was not the way he wanted things to go.

“It is good to see you, Dean,” Castiel tried. “I was wondering if you were going to be here. No one would tell me.” That wasn’t entirely true, but Castiel didn’t want to get Charlie into trouble. If this all went sideways, he didn’t want to ruin Dean’s relationship with the other girl.

Dean’s head jerked up in surprise. It was as though he didn’t believe that Castiel would have asked about him.

“Trying to make sure it was safe to come back, Cas?” Dean fired back trying to sound arrogant, but Castiel still knew the other man’s tells too well. There was hurt and bitterness lacing his words. He was trying to hide his pain.

“I deserve that,” Castiel replied quietly. He wished he could change the way things were. He wanted to fall down on his knees in front of the other man and beg for his forgiveness. He wanted to ask Dean to please take him back, to leave the beefcake he was with and for the two of them to go somewhere.

“Damn straight,” Dean’s date muttered. Castiel frowned. He could tell the other man tried to make the comment without being heard, but it still riled him that this stranger thought he could be a part of this moment. Castiel had waited far too long for this, he was not going to let some interloper ruin his last, best chance at apologizing.

“Excuse me,” Castiel said, drawing himself up to his full height, which was slightly taller than the other man, but still shorter than Dean. “I don’t believe you know anything about anything. Who exactly are you?”

The other man gave Castiel a glare so feral and ferocious that he worried the man might be able to kill him on the spot without moving from his place safely beside Dean.

“I’m with him,” the other man said. No artifice, no bragging, straight to the point. It was a more potent blow to Castiel than any dagger could provide. It was over, he had lost Dean forever. Castiel felt like a puppet whose strings had been cut at the stranger’s words. His body practically sagged, and it was all he could do not to crumple to the floor and wallow in his own self-pity. He had no one to blame but himself.

“I see,” Castiel said, staring down at the floor. Maybe if he found something to concentrate on, he would be able to get past the lump in his throat. Maybe this was a bad idea. Clearly Dean was happy. He just needed to move on, too. After all, he only wanted to apologize so that he could get closure and he and Dean could go on happily ever after – of course, that happily ever after, in his head, was of the two of them together, but this would have to work, too.

“So, how’ve you been, Castiel?” Dean inquired politely, trying to make polite chit-chat, probably so his boyfriend didn’t rip Castiel’s throat out with his teeth.

“Castiel?” he repeated. That was another painful blow. He didn’t know how many more of them he could take. For as long as they had been friends, Dean always called him “Cas.”

_“Look, sweetie, it’s Castiel,” Mary Winchester cooed to her young son. Mary and Naomi Novak had been pregnant together for some of their pregnancies with Castiel arriving four months before Dean. As the Winchester and Novak families lived in the same community and the young mothers were friends, it was assumed that Dean and Castiel would be friends with one another. The two babies often found themselves in the same playpens, and often the mothers would come back to find the two of them twined together, limbs tangled, heads snuggled close, during their naptime._

_“C-C-C,” Dean tried, little lips sounding out what his mother was telling him, trying to repeat his friend’s name._

_“That’s right, honey,” Mary prompted. “Cas-tee-el.” She repeated slowly, trying to give Dean a little help._

_“C-C-Cas,” Dean said, green eyes lighting up like jewels in triumph at the name. “Cas.”_

_The little blue-eyed boy cocked his head slightly to the right in consideration of what his young friend said._

_“Cas, Cas, Cas, Cas, Cas,” Dean babbled, repeating the other boy’s name like it was the best sound in the world._

From then on, Castiel always was Cas to Dean. Sure other people called him by his full name, but in all their friendship, Castiel didn’t think he ever remembered a time when Dean called him that. To hear it now added another crack to his heart.

All he needed to do was to get through this. He needed to take the hit. Even if he never got a chance to talk to Dean about what he wanted to, and maybe that was for the best. He didn’t want to make things harder for the other man.

“I’ve been okay, Dean, and you?” Castiel asked, thirsting for nuggets about his former friend’s life. He ached for information about Dean.

“He’s bloody brilliant,” the stranger piped up. Castiel noticed for the first time the man had a southern accent, but something a little different…Creole maybe? Castiel could hear the pride in the other man’s voice.

“Benny….” Dean tried to stop, his face flushing a delicate shade of pink, bringing attention to the smattering of tan freckles adorably placed on his face. Castiel remembered fondly lying in bed with Dean for hours, tracing patterns and constellations in Dean’s freckles, trying to count to see just how many there were. Dean always was embarrassed when people praised him; in a way it pleased Castiel to see this hadn’t changed, the other man was as shy and humble as he always had been.

Castiel listened as the older man – Benny, Dean had called him – boasted about Dean’s accomplishments. The young Novak heard enough to be impressed, but he found himself drawn more to watching Dean. He felt an urge unlike any he had known in a long while to gather the other man up into his arms and shield him from all harm. Dean didn’t look like a shrinking violet – he was tall, muscular, and well-built, but there was something innocent and vulnerable about him, too that makes Castiel want to protect him and shield him from wrongs – unlike he had done in the past.

The trio talked more about Dean’s accomplishments – or more aptly, Benny talks more about Dean’s accomplishments. And before Castiel can answer Dean’s question about what he has been up to, the elevator slides to a smooth stop.

“Guess this is our stop,” Dean says, his voice holds a mixture of relief and sadness. Castiel wonders if Dean has been imagining this meeting for as long as he has.

“Yes, I suppose it is,” Castiel says, trying to decide what he should do. The gentlemanly thing is to let Dean go, the other man seems happy with his new boyfriend. It is selfish of Castiel to want to disrupt that, he has caused Dean enough pain to last a lifetime. Castiel should just be happy his old friend has found success and happiness. Now that he has seen Dean, he should just go upstairs and get stinking drunk and forget about the rest of the reunion – there is no one else here that he really cares to see.

“It was nice catchin’ up with you,” Dean says as the doors begin to slide open. Castiel feels the panic catching in his throat. He feels like this could be one of those defining moments in his life; one of those moments he forever will look back on and say that was the moment I acted and my life has been the better for it, or that was the moment I walked away and I have regretted it every day.

He can’t let the moment go. He just needs five minutes. He dares not hope for a future with Dean, but he can at least properly apologize the way he should have nine years ago.

Dean is stepping out of the elevator, the stranger has his hand protectively – possessively – on Dean’s lower back, steering him out of the door and away from Castiel forever. It is now or never, all Castiel needs is the courage to say,

“Wait!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed. I wasn't sure how far to take the story, especially as a lot of the interactions between Castiel and Dean once they meet in the elevator are the same in both chapters. To avoid any more overlap in dialogue, I decided to end when Castiel called Dean back from the elevator, before he could truly apologize. Although the POV in the first chapter remains Dean's, we do get to hear from Castiel exactly what he was thinking, I didn't think I needed to repeat that again. I hope this shows a little more about what Cas' thoughts and fears were. Thank you to those of you who so correctly suggested we needed to learn more about Cas, and make him suffer a little bit along the way.  
> Please let me know what you think.  
> Love to you all <3!!

**Author's Note:**

> I have been working on this story for a very long time. I am pretty happy with it. I love Dean, but I seem to love to put him through the worst possible situations, but it all was to a good end. I know that Dean probably forgave Castiel a little too quickly, or at least seemed to forgive him a little too quickly, but I'm sure there were a lot of ups and downs from where we left them to the epilogue. The boys got their happily ever after, but I don't think Dean let Castiel off the hook quite so easily.
> 
> What did you think? Love it? Hate it? Meh it? Please let me know, I love to hear from you all. I do hope you enjoyed as much as I loved writing this one.


End file.
